


Please Drink Responsibly

by TheOtherOdinson



Series: Vices Are For Mortals [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Awkward morning after, Drunk Sex, Loki Does What He Wants, M/M, that's not always a good thing, the Grandmaster doesn't mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 10:15:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10942413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOtherOdinson/pseuds/TheOtherOdinson
Summary: This is hardly the first time Loki's gotten in over his head. But the Grandmaster isn't complaining.





	Please Drink Responsibly

Loki's mind was in motion before he fully awakened.

Blinking slowly, he kept his body still as he pushed his awareness outward to take stock of himself and his surroundings. Firstly - he ached. A full body ache that was not entirely unpleasant. Or unfamiliar. The pain in his head, by contrast, was vile. Made worse by the brightness of the room. Loki stifled a groan and closed his eyes.

 _Overindulgence doesn't suit you, haven't you learned by now?_ He had learned. He learned centuries ago on Alfheim after a few weeks of enjoying overly potent wine, and indulging in behaviour that would have been considered most unbecoming a prince of Asgard.

_As if this is any better._

At least among the elves, Loki knew where he stood. Was assured of his safety and well being. Here? Well...he really should have known better than to keep drinking that sweet-tasting liquor. As good as it was. Tangy and vaguely fruity, he'd knocked back glass after glass right up until...

Loki reached out again, keeping his eyes shut firmly against the brightness. The bed he lay in was gloriously comfortable. Part of him was tempted to stay right where he was and try for more sleep. A cool breeze was blowing in somewhere off his left, kissing his exposed skin. He caught a whiff of something spicy. There was a rustle of cloth nearby.

Loki's eyes flew open.

"Ah. You're awake. Good," said a voice sounding far too amused. A voice Loki recognized. Unfortunately. And suddenly Loki remembered the reason for his body's tenderness. He didn't bother stifling the next groan.

He pushed himself upright slowly, riding out the sudden dizziness and letting his sight adjust to the room. Loki carefully inched his way to the edge of the enormous bed, swinging his rubbery legs out one by one to set them shakily on the ground. He kept his hands braced firmly on the mattress to keep from falling over and humiliating himself even more. After taking a moment to register his nude state, he let one hand cast back enough to grab a handful of bed covers, pulling them over his lap.

"I did warn you the liquor was quite potent," said the voice. Getting closer. Still amused. "I'm impressed you managed to keep to your feet after so many. Though perhaps you should have stopped after the seventh one, hmm?"

The voice was getting closer. The smell stronger. A pair of pale feet crossed into Loki's line of sight, sinking so deeply into the plush, white carpeting they didn't make any sound. A cup followed, held out under Loki's nose. "Drink. It'll refresh you."

Loki looked up. The man before him was dressed only in a floor-length robe. Brightly coloured and voluminous. And unclosed. The man every bit as tall and lean as Loki remembered. Strange and foreign despite his mild appearance. Not young, nor particularly old. But Loki knew just how deceiving appearances could be. A man who was not truly a man, nor anything Loki had ever crossed paths with before. Something from myths and stories told by lore masters seeking to impress on two bored young princes just how unknown the universe was beyond the safety of their small corner of it. An ancient being looking down at him with an expression that said he knew Loki's thoughts better than he did.

The Grandmaster's lips curled into a smooth smile. He gestured with the cup again. Loki took the drink without comment. He brought the cup to his mouth, sniffing without tasting. Unknown spices assaulted his nose.

"It won't harm you."

Loki looked back up at the Grandmaster. He could read nothing from him but his relaxed air of mirth.

"If I wished you harm, I think by now you would know," the Grandmaster said.

 _Ah, well._ Embracing it as yet another in a line of bad decisions, Loki took a small sip. Far milder than it smelled. It went down smooth, and Loki almost immediately began to feel revived. He took a larger swallow. His headache began to fade.

"You see? No harm." The Grandmaster reached out to pass his hand over the top of Loki's head, before sweeping it down the side of his face, caressing his jaw and sweeping a thumb along the bottom of his lips.

Startled by the intimacy of the touch, Loki jerked back. The Grandmaster's smile widened before he took a casual step back.

"Are you hungry? There's food."

At the same time Loki's eyes followed the Grandmaster's gesture to a nearby table set up with two chairs, two place settings, and covered with serving dishes, his senses were hit with a variety of food smells. Loki was almost certain they hadn't been there before. He swallowed the last of the drink and the lingering effects of his overindulgence faded away.

The Grandmaster drifted away from the bed, crossing to the table. He pulled out one of the chairs and sat. Finally folding the robe around his body as he did so. He didn't spare Loki a glance as he began lifting and setting aside lids, inspecting and tasting the dishes before serving himself.

"You should eat. There's a long day ahead." The Grandmaster did look at him then, piercing and unfathomable.

Loki shifted uncomfortably. He didn't see any of his clothing nearby. He'd been careful to use his magic as little as possible since arriving on Sakaar, not wanting to give himself away. _At least, not more so than you already have._

The Grandmaster pointed a finger at the bed. There was another robe next to Loki. Again, it had not been there before. "There's no reason to be embarrassed. I could point out I've already see it all before. Seen and enjoyed several times over, in fact. But I wouldn't want to be rude."

Something sharp and defiant snapped in Loki's head. He threw aside the sheets and stood in one smooth movement. Stretching, he took his time drawing on the robe. Copying the Grandmaster, he left it unclosed as he crossed the room. The Grandmaster watched him with an appreciative look right up until Loki dropped into the chair opposite him.

The room was silent save for the sound of dishes clinking as food was served out between them. Loki took his time eating. He'd had little appetite since leaving Asgard, but the food, though strange, was good and he needed every bit of energy it would give him. As he ate, he studied the being across the table.

They'd met the prior day. Loki, having evaded the roving bands of slavers, tracked Thor to this citadel. Putting on his best royal airs, Loki strode up to the guards at the door and demanded to speak to their master. After being placed in an empty room and left to wait for hours, someone finally entered. It had not been what Loki was expecting.

A slim man, tall - taller than Loki - with short, silvery hair that was styled upward to add more height.  Wearing a streak of bright paint on his face running from his bottom lip to chin that matched the colours of the elaborate robes he wore. He introduced himself as the Grandmaster. Loki had tried to unobtrusively examine him with his magic, just the lightest of touches to get a sense of what this creature was. He came away with nothing. Everything he aimed at the other man just - slid away. As far as his magic was concerned, Loki was still alone in the room. His wariness intensified even in the face of the Grandmaster's friendly welcome.

_That should have been your first hint not to accept anything from this place._

The Grandmaster had led him on a small tour of his citadel, extending hospitality and inviting him to watch some of the games he hosted. Loki accepted, having found no trace of Thor.

He did find Thor later, while seated on a long sofa next to the Grandmaster in a private room overlooking a fighting pit surrounded by spectators. The Grandmaster had set Thor to fighting against creatures Loki couldn't even begin to name. And that was when a servant approached him with the first drink.

Loki had spent a lifetime watching Thor fight, always assured his brother would emerge victorious. But watching Thor being set upon by opponent after opponent, without Mjolnir or any way out - not that Thor would run - had been nerve racking. And then Thor caught sight of him, sitting in comfort with Thor's captor. The look Thor sent him was brimming with anger and confusion. Loki could do nothing but offer a carefully blank look in return. That combined with a stream of almost friendly discussion from the Grandmaster and steady supply of alcohol made for some unwise decision making on Loki's part by the time the fighting came to end. Thor was alive, Thor had won, and Loki was being escorted out of the room with the Grandmaster's hand at his waist.

_Stupid. Idiotic. Foolish._

Loki cast another quick glance across the table. A sudden rush of memories swept through him - _firm hands, insistent mouth, clothes disappearing, warm skin against his. Being pressed against a wall and devoured until he was limp. Bent over a table and taken until the table cracked beneath them. Gently laid out on a bed and touched reverently -  everywhere._

_Breathless and finding release over and over after so many years of being alone, even when surrounded with people. Wanting more and getting so much Loki could do little more than dig his fingers in - flesh, hair, sheets - and hang on. Moans and cries and grunts filling the air. The slap of flesh, of bodies coming together, losing himself in bliss._

It had been -

_Pleasurable. Satisfying. Delicious._

"I'm pleased you think so."

Loki's attention snapped back to the present and the very real unknown.

The Grandmaster smiled at him pleasantly. Loki narrowed his eyes with suspicion. The Grandmaster's smile grew to show his teeth, laughter dancing across his features.

"So, how are you going to do it?"

 _What?_ Loki blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Escape with my newest fighter. The Aesir. That is what you came for, isn't it?" The Grandmaster popped a piece of fruit in his mouth, chewing slowly.

"I...," Loki faltered at being caught out. He took a moment to mentally plant his feet before offering up his best confused face. "I'm sorry, I really have no idea what you're talking about."

The Grandmaster looked more amused by his denial. "Is that right?"

Loki planted his feet firmer. "I was simply passing through the area. I'm a traveller, you see. I heard great tales of this place, and its games, and was curious. I hoped you might indulge me..."

"Well, I did at that. In more ways than one."

Loki deliberately did not clench his teeth and snarl, no matter how much he wanted to at this creature's audacity. Instead he made himself smile sheepishly, as though embarrassed his passions got the better of him. "Yes, well - I haven't the chance to thank you for your generous hospitality. It was most kind of you. But, as I said, I was simply travelling through the area and must be leaving soon."

"Alone?"

Loki frowned. "Yes. Of course."

The Grandmaster made a considering noise, looking thoughtful. He took another bite of food and leaned back in his chair. "You're just passing through?"

"Yes."

"All by yourself?"

"As I said - yes."

"Hmm. So a mere three days after I've acquired my one and only Aesir fighter, another Aesir pops up on my doorstep and you would have me believe these two events are not connected?"

Loki felt his footing beginning to shift. He compensated by tilting his chin up a fraction and shooting the Grandmaster a haughty look. "I care not what you believe. And who said I was Aesir?"

The Grandmaster waved a hand at him, gesturing vaguely at Loki's body. "Oh, you're Aesir, all right. At least, that's the form you wear the most. But not the one you were born to. I assume it's the one most comfortable to you? Or familiar, perhaps? Not that I'm complaining. I've no objection to your form. At all." He leaned forward, planting an elbow on the table and propping his chin on his fist. "Did you choose it for yourself, or was it chosen for you? I've never been quite sure how that works for your kind. I've not actually met many born shapeshifters."

Loki's mouth opened, but words failed to emerge. He could only stare as his temper began to burn. _How......dare... You smug, presumptuous...you...you..._

The Grandmaster leaned forward further, reaching out to gently curl two fingers under Loki's chin and push it up so Loki's mouth closed. The Grandmaster's eyes twinkled as he took his time withdrawing his fingers from Loki's face.

Loki yanked himself out of the Grandmaster's reach. _Enough of this!_ If the Grandmaster truly thought he could toy with him, then Loki would only too happy to demonstrate what happened to those stupid enough to underestimate him. Loki shoved his chair back and bolted to his feet. His robe fell open. Loki set his hands on his hips and ignored it. "Fine! The Aesir male you have enslaved -"

"Thor. It's all right to say his name. I won't be offended. Even though you never even asked mine."

Loki ground his teeth.  " - you will release him."

The Grandmaster leaned back slowly, tutting with disapproval. "Hmm. How about - no?"

Loki glared at him. "What do you want?" he spit out.

"What do you have to offer?"

Loki thought furiously. He had not intended to bargain. He intended to create a distraction, free Thor, and sneak away amidst the chaos. _So much for that plan._ Even if he still had access to Asgard's great treasury, he doubted this creature would be interested in riches. So what would it take? What did a being such as this value?

Loki paused, considering. A plan discovered wasn't necessarily a failed plan. It could still work, with some adjustments. A small smile crept across his face. "How would you feel about a wager?"

The Grandmaster looked intrigued. "Oh? Of what sort?"

"That Thor will escape this place before the day's end. Right under your very nose," Loki said boldly.

The Grandmaster considered this. "And if he succeeds, I just - let him go?"

"Let both of us go," Loki was quick to add.

"You're my guest, you may leave at any time," he corrected. "But all right. You will both be free to leave without pursuit - if Thor makes it beyond the citadel's outer gates."

Loki shook his head. "If he makes outside the citadel proper."

"Beyond the outer gates," the Grandmaster corrected as if Loki was simply hard of hearing.

Loki pursed his lips, reviewing the layout of this place in his mind. The outer gates were a distance away from the main building. Mostly open ground, but not all. It was where Loki noticed the greatest concentration of guards. But give Thor the right motivation, he'd plow through them like they were little more than weeds in a field. They would be on the ground spitting out teeth before they knew what was happening.

"Agreed."

The Grandmaster clapped his hands once in delight. "Excellent! And if I win?"

"What?" Loki felt his mental footing sliding away again.

"If I win," he prodded. "If Thor fails to escape. From under my nose, as you say. What do I win?"

"What do you want?" Loki asked warily.

The Grandmaster leaned back heavily in his chair, dragging his eyes down the length of Loki's body and up again before looking pointedly past him at the bed. "I wouldn't say no to a repeat performance. Normally, I just prefer to watch. But I'm glad I made an exception for you. It was most enjoyable the first time around, if you don't mind my saying so. And the second, and the third, and..."

"Fine!" Loki snapped. He held a hand up in front of him as if that would keep the reminders at bay. _It was. Enjoyable. More than._ "Just...fine. We are in agreement."

The Grandmaster laughed. "Wonderful!" He got to his feet suddenly, his robe parting open again as he strode forward and wrapped his arms around Loki, pulling him in for a hug.

Loki froze, but the Grandmaster persisted and he couldn't help but lean into him. It was only polite to indulge the customs of one's host after all. _Norns, he smells good._

"Thank you."

_Please, stop doing that._

Loki felt him laugh. It was hard not to with their chests pressed together. And those weren't the only body parts pressing against one another.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way," the Grandmaster said casually, his cheek brushing up against Loki's. "But I hope your fighter fails to make it out the door."

Loki would never admit it out loud - never! - but he was tempted to alter his escape plan enough so it would fail.

Just the once.

The Grandmaster pulled back to give Loki a warm smile and an affectionate touch on his face. With his other hand, he gave Loki a more than affectionate squeeze on the ass.

Or maybe twice.

 

 


End file.
